IUWBB: 2016 recruit Broadnax not coming to IU

Bailey Broadnax is no longer a part of Indiana’s 2016 recruiting class, according to Hill College head coach Scott Hyland.

Broadnax, a 6-foot sophomore, averaged 11.7 points and 7.9 rebounds through 12 games for Hill College. She has not played since Dec. 4, adding 10 points in a 92-42 win over Victoria College.

She is withdrawing from her scholarship at IU for personal reasons.

This is the second junior college player that has committed to Teri Moren and the Hoosiers to not play at IU. In June, point guard Victoria Kemokai joined the Hoosiers from Tyler Community College in Texas. She participated in summer workouts, but did not return to IU in the fall because of personal issues back home in Texas.

On Tuesday, sophomore guard Jess Walter announced via Twitter she would be leaving the program. Without Walter and Broadnax in the fold, the Hoosiers have two available scholarships. IU is also losing junior Lyndsay Leikem, who is graduating in three years.

The 2016 recruiting class is down to three high school seniors: guard Ria Gulley (San Antonio, Tex.) and forwards Bre Wickware (Denton, Tex.) and Darby Foresman (Indianapolis, Ind.).

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29 comments

This is not a great surprise to me at all when you consider that something has obviously been going on with her since she has not played in a game since December 4? When this website which has been posting high school updates each week on the men’s & women’s recruits, I knew something was up with Broadnax when it was reported she had not been playing? While I am sure some naysayers of the coaching staff will jump on here and accuse them of having something to do with this, it is quite obvious that due to Broadnax’s inactivity since December, something else is going on? Of all of our recruits, I think that she was probably going to have the least impact for us due to being a small post player. Perhaps there is another recruit out there that has not committed yet that we can pursue? We will see?

Yes I have been noticing also on the recruit updates that recently there was no new info on her although I wasnt aware it had been since early Dec. that there was no info. Certainly an efficient point guard backup for Buss is needed, not sure if Ria or Tia is that person or if it eventually will be someone else. It would be great if that athletic guard running mate for Tyra is out there. We shall see how the new group whoever they are come together chemistry wise.

Steve W, Tia Elbert is the real deal, I saw her play when she was a freshman at Marquette. Very quick and very athletic along with good size and also brings a year of experience at the point guard position. You will like her! I think that Gulley will be pretty good also from all of the videos that I have seen of her. Hope springs eternal!

MikeC- I hope you are right. I have seen some video of Tia as a senior in high school in a game when she played against that Coley girl who she played with on her club team and I remember one such layup that she made over Coley with a nice pump fake, Coley is 6′ 3″. I also watched some vids of Ria in summer league but it is still hard to tell how that will relate to big ten play. One thing on Tia’s side is she already knows the system from practice. I will take your word that she is the real deal. According to Morens interview about Ria , they feel they got a steal in her, lets hope so.

BTW, just wondering if anyone else has heard that Whitney Jennings of Iowa is transferring. The article did not say where she is going but stated that she wants to be closer to home. Kind of sounds like she may go to Purdue since her home is Logansport? Whitney got us for 22 points this year. Lisa Bluder, the Iowa coach stated in the article that this did not come as a surprise to her.

MikeC– Interesting stuff , I see larson is also transferring from Iowa stating wanting to be closer to home. I also notice freshman Taja Cole is transferring from Louisville, she was a top 20 recruit , mcdonalds all american from Virginia. Cole didnt state she wants to be closer to home, but it could be a reason.

It appears Tyasha is waiting and making sure of her choice. She seems quite the detail oriented person not liking all the transfers shes seeing, but most teams have that. Also the best choice for a family integreted atmosphere. Aside from the transfers It appears moren is trying to make her teams a close nit group on and off the court which might fall into what “Darby’s Teammate” might be looking for. She crossed IU off her list previous to this last season of play. Could she reconsider, probably not.

Thanks Steve W for the info. No criticism of you, you are just repeating what you have heard, but “not liking all the transfers” is just inaccurate. So far there is one, and only one, transfer: i.e. Jess Walters. As a team upgrades it’s talent some kids feel that they must transfer to get playing time, like Austin Etherington. Some kids love their school and team and just find ways to contribute, like Collin Hartman. There is no “right or wrong”, only what is best for the kid in her/his opinion.

Beat Purdue– When I speak of transfers when concerning Darby’s Teammate it does not refer to specifically to IU but everyone in general. When I speak of info relating to her it is not what Ive heard but what Ive read and Im guessing that info would not out there had she not said something to that effect. Ive resigned myself to the fact IU will not get her services, but in time we may get someone as good. I have to believe this past season of success will make a difference in the recruiting world for IU.

Someone earlier in the year called Jess this year’s Agler and was ridiculed for it. Spot-on. Steve W, I love your comments as I can tell you are a true IU fan who also cares about the girls, and not just winning. The 6′-0 post player who’s not coming now would not have helped us and just crowded our bench with other Moren recruits. Hope Mike C. is right about Tia and Ria as this year’s class has been a big disappointment. We’ve had three Junior College recruits, two aren’t even here and the third never plays. A girl from Down Under who never plays. A project from Texas who never plays.
Royster could develop into a nice player eventually if she stays. That’s one for 5. Someone said we need a backup point guard and that’s a joke. Moren will never take Buss off the floor. She realizes Tyra wants to break every record she can and wants to play 40 minutes whether were up 40 or down 40. Alexis played a great game against Notre Dame and is our unsung player no doubt. Don’t worry Lex, true basketball fans know your worth. Sorry to see Jess and Lindsey leave but that falls on Curt Miller. Hope he realizes how many lives he’s affected. No way would Ty Harris or Whitney Jennings come to IU. Whitney is not going to Purdue as she’s not a fan of their coach. She would never come to IU as she is very good friends with a player who left here. She will land closer to home as that was the main problem. Memo to coach Moren, treat all your players like you treat your favorite and girls from Indiana may start coming to IU. Can’t wait to watch Tia and Tyra play together. Should be fun.

I went back and watched Tia play as a senior at tartan and when she was at Marquette. I had watched her once before as a senior but I had forgotten about how quick and athletic she is. She’s more like a fox she will be just walking around slow when the other team is making a pass and then you see her explode and has the steal going the other way, yes I see her as a good running mate for tyra and as someone who can give tyra a couple minutes rest.

Nathan, while I agree with most of what you say, I think the disappointment in this year’s class may be a bit short sighted? As I have stated 2 or 3 times, I really believe that Kym Royster is going to be a beast and make a very big impact next year if she can gain about 10 to 15 pounds of muscle in the off season. The only thing she lacks is strength to compete consistently at the division 1 level. She has had some very good games for us this year but, was not consistent which is typical of a freshman. BTW, why you would add “if she stays” to Royster seems a bit odd? The Williams girl was obviously Moren trying to catch lightening in a bottle. Finding girls of that size that have not declared to a high division 1 program is hard to do? I termed her as a “project” when I saw her video after she signed. Although Tyshee is a superior athlete, it was obvious that she was not quite ready for prime time, these things happen? Coaches don’t hit home runs on every player they recruit, Steve W pointed that out to us in a post earlier with Iowa and Louisville and their transfers, it’s again, the nature of the business. Recruiting is a crap shoot, there are no guarantees?
Bashing Tyra by you reading her brain declaring that “she wants to break every record” seems a bit intuitive of you? As a former player, I always wanted to play as much as I could as most players do? The breaking every record comment calls for your mind reading abilities which I am not sure of? I think that the decision coach Moren made to put the ball in Tyra’s hands has proven very beneficial to IU as the 21 win season shows! And one other thing, anyone who is a IU women’s fan knows the value of Alexis! Reiterating what someone stated on this website earlier this year when the regular big 10 season was over, how this girl did not make the all-conference defensive team is beyond me? she certainly deserved it!
Without knowing what she meant by her statement of wanting to be” closer to home”, I simply thought that Whitney Jennings would mean Purdue since she doesn’t live that far from Lafayette. I never once thought she was referring to IU!

Im on that same band wagon about Royster. 10-15 lbs of muscle and she can be a beast, there could be no end to how good she can be . I do wonder what their long range plans are for Williams, will she work her way into some minutes or still continue to warm the bench. Besides Tia and Ria we still have Foresman and Wickware coming in hoping to bring some bench strengh.

Steve W, a few points: 1) if you “read” it on the internet and not from a sport journalist organization the correct word is “heard” not read, you know nothing about the sourcing nor resources behind the report nor standards for accuracy. That is not to say that the info cannot turn out to be accurate, but it is to say that it is basically unsourced gossip. 2) your point about “transfers” not being directed at IU requires that you totally ignore your own context concerning Tyasha and any possibility of her going to IU. No other school but I U is mentioned and the words you wrote: “aside from the transfers, it appears moren (referring to IU Coach Moren)…” Clearly IS referring specifically to IU.

Just a casual observation, if Williams would work really hard over the summer on her conditioning the way that Jenn Anderson did last summer, we may have something? Until that happens, I don’t see Williams having any impact at all?

Beat Purdue, I think over 10 years of watching and observing grade school, high school, AAU, and college plus Twitter makes me a little more knowledgeable than you. Oh, I forgot, you have a little crush. Your post directed towards Steve W makes no sense, in other words, who cares?